Stainless solution keeps fresh water flowing

In many parts of the world, fresh water is an urgent need. Desalination – the process of obtaining freshwater from the earth’s vast reserves of seawater – is the obvious answer. But desalination is both complex and costly, a combination that can discourage investment in new facilities.

Few processes can top desalination for a harsh project environment. Awash in highly corrosive salt water, desalination plants face unique challenges in life cycle costs.

Challenging process

Multi Stage Flash (MSF) desalination is the most commonly used desalination method today. Seawater is heated in a thermal process, flashed into steam in a series of evaporation chambers and then condensed.

When Fisia Italimpianti of Italy – a leader in MSF desalination – committed to expansion of three existing desalination plants decade ago, the company turned to Outokumpu. As a supplier of stainless steel to the majority of desalination plant contractors, Outokumpu meets the demands of an uncommonly challenging process.

Life cycle approach

In previous desalination installations, steel for mildly corrosive environment was used. When Outokumpu introduced its Forta dual duplex construction, Fisia gained a solution with improved corrosion resistance and strength. The evaporation chambers of three desalination plant extensions use a combination of the more corrosion resistant Forta DX 2205 and Forta LDX 2101 in less corrosive sections.
By using duplex stainless steel, evaporation chambers can be built with thinner plates. That means less material, less need for welding and easier handling. Containing less nickel, Forta LDX 2101 has better price stability than high-nickel stainless steels. The solution represents advanced MSF technology and translates into increasingly affordable desalination plant investments and, as a result, can make fresh water increasingly available where it is most needed.
For the evaporation chambers in the Fisia Italimpianti projects, Outokumpu delivered 4,000 tonnes of hot rolled plate, much of it Outokumpu’s proprietary Forta LDX 2101duplex stainless steel.

Case facts

Challenge

Shortage of fresh water can be eased by desalination. Fisia Italimpianti was concerned with the material cost and complex process of expanding its three desalination chambers.

How can we help you?

About Outokumpu

Outokumpu is the global leader in stainless steel. Our customers use it to create civilization’s basic structures and its most famous landmarks. Stainless steel is sustainable, durable and designed to last forever.

We aim to be the best value creator in stainless by 2020, through our competitive edge of customer orientation and efficiency. The foundation of our business is our ability to tailor stainless steel into any form and for almost any purpose.

Outokumpu employs 10,000 professionals in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki.

Recycling maximized

Stainless steel is 100% recyclable. It is the most recycled material in the world, and its quality is preserved in the process.

Our stainless steel contains the highest proportion of recycled content on the market, and we keep pushing this further to conserve virgin raw materials. Increasing the share of recycled material is the single most effective measure to reduce our environmental impact.

Using Outokumpu’s stainless steel decreases our customer's own carbon footprint and that of their customers.